(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle washing apparatus and, more particularly, to a vehicle washing apparatus with a movable brush arm carriage that provides for lateral movement of the brush arm carriage while directing the brush toward a passing vehicle.
(2) Description of Related Art
Vehicle washing systems have long been known in the art. By way of example, automatic vehicle-washing systems are well-known and are in widespread use for washing passenger automobiles, trucks, buses, railroad equipment, and the like. A typical system includes a conveyor for moving the vehicle through the installation, and a series of power-driven brushes which are moved around the vehicle under a drenching spray of water and soap or detergent to remove dirt and grease. The washed vehicle is given a spray of clean rinse water, and is then moved to a drying station. Finally, after being washed and dried, the conveyor pushes the vehicle from the washing system.
There are a few variations of power-driven brushes that are used in standard washing systems. By way of example, a horizontally-positioned power brush can be hung in front of the vehicle. In this aspect, as the vehicle approaches the horizontally-positioned power brush, the front end of the vehicle engages with the brush. The brush can then be maneuvered across the top of and over the rear of the vehicle. Thus, a horizontally-positioned power brush is often used to wash the front, top, and rear portions of the vehicle.
Alternatively, a vertically-positioned power brush is often used to wash the sides of the vehicle. While a vertically-positioned power brush can be swung from the side to wash the rear of a vehicle, such a configuration would require many motors to control and position properly. More importantly, such a power brush would need to hang from a brush arm, which swings in from the side to wash the rear of the vehicle. Due to the arcing motion of the brush arm, a traditional vertically-positioned power brush engages with a limited point of the rear of the vehicle. Thus, a traditional vertically-positioned power brush does not provide for lateral motion across the rear of the vehicle and, as such, cannot effectively wash the rear portion of a vehicle.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a vehicle washing system with a movable brush arm carriage that provides for lateral movement of the brush arm carriage while directing the brush toward a passing vehicle to effectively wash the rear portion of the vehicle.